Shock absorber



Jan. 17, 1950 1 H, UNK 2,494,768

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed Nov. MQ, 1945 367m? JLLyln/k.

Patented Jan. 17," 1950 SHOCK ABSORBER `John Link, Met-ion. Station,i1afassignoruto W. Miner, Inc.,=,Gh1cago, lll., a corporatonlof Delaware `implication November 8, 1945, Serial'iNo. 627,330

This invention relates to improvements :in Ashock absorbers, and `more -narticularly `shock `absorbers for snubbing the action `of :truck springs .of railway cars.

`@ne object of the Ainvention is lto `:n1-'Ovide -a `sl'loclrabsorber ofthe hydraulicitype :tor eficiently `sloubbinjg .the action -of truck springs of` yrailway cars, comprising :a spring resistance ,fand :having :fluid means 'forrretarding thefaetionfof ltherspring :resistance in ,both ycompr-'ession and` recoil, `Wherein the action `of `the iiuid means yis under auto- `'matic control.

A rmore Specific object of the :intention is -to provide a shock absorber of `the character iindicated, comprising a pair-oivcasngs whichare .slidingly -telescoped; `a helical spring within :the `z-casings opposing relative `movement thereof `toward eachother; a movable plunger acting Aas Avalve means; and :ffiuid `means within the-casings, wherein the :compression and ae-xpansion -of the spring means effectswdisplaeement :of `the fluid `and the spring means .and the plunger are rar- ,ranged to rprovide restricting A.passages 1to1' :the 110W ofthe uid, thereby.retardingthe-displacieF `ment of the same and effectively :retarding the faction `of the spring in `both compression and uecoil.

A still further `object of itheinuention is to ai-provide .a shock absorber, ,as :specied in the Aprefceding paragraph, wherein lthe ,plunger is moi/- able lengthwise Within the spring, acting in ithe manner `of a piston, displaceable `by `the fluid to :automatically eontrolthe llow thereof andrthere.- rby govern the spring `retarding ,action l,of -the 1device.

.Otherrobjects of the `invention will Ymore-clearly .appear from the `description andelaims ,hereinafterifollowing In the drawing yforming a `partei this specifi.- `cation, Figure 4l is a -top plan View 'of :my im,- ,provedshock absorber. `FigureuZ isa transverse, `vertical sectional View, corresponding substantially `to `the line -2-2 fof :Figure 1. Figur-e -3 .is ra horizontal sectional View, corresponding .substantiallyto the line 3-il of `Fleur-e `=1. Figure A .is `:a viewyslmilarto Figure 1, partly brokenaway, of the lower end section of thedevieedlmstrating @another embodiment of the invention.

`Referring ifirst :to the-embodiment of the inyention illustrated in :Figures l, 2, and :3,imy .improved shock absorber comprises broadly 1an lupperrcasing A; Aa lower casing B rtelesooped rWith-- .iin the `upper casing; asprine C; .a displaceable `folug or plunger `D; :and a yuid elementi-E..

`The casing A iis in the i formfofratubular eyli-n .iii

.'drical shell open atiits lowerfendand,closed-at `its upperendfbya transverse, :horizontal `Wall d10. .lnteriorly the `'ca-sing A is :provided with a :cenitral, ,-depending, hollow `boss l-I on the `wall fill. .The hollow :boss lll .provides a :seat t2 for A:the `usual fcentering projection lon the upper `spring ifollower plate of a `spring cluster `of a railway .car truck; 0n `:its lower side, the boss v;I:| `is pro- 'vided ,with transversely extending, `intersecting ribs |3-l13. `'The ribs fl3-l3 .intersect -at right :angles and form ,a cross-,shaped abutment for the :upper lend `of the plunger D. Near rthe `up- 'fper lend-of the `casing Antheicylindrical ,side wall =Df the sameis provided -withzaflller opening ,t4 `forthe huid, which opening isiclosed by `a 'pipe plug M5.

The-,casing `-B is also inthe form of :a tubular, cylindrical shell and is open at its upper ^end `-andeolosed at itsflower endby aihorizontaLtrans- 'verse Wall .il-,6, provided with faicentering boss IJ .presenting Va seat t8 -for the usual `spring centerving proiectiouofithe lowerspring follower yplate of a truck spring cluster. `Eheboss -la'l -is in Lall respects similar to `:the gboss ,tl :hereinbefore ire- :ferred cto @and `has transversely iextending, .upmstanding, intersecting :ribs :19M-i9 similar to ythe iribs :I3-t3 and .forming a 4support .for .the ,plungerll u The casing eB isslidingly telescoped'wthin the leasing A and is ,preferably l-prouided .with a apair of sealing Frings 2,0.-12!) seated-,in `annular grooves 2 l-ZI and bearing on the interior surface of the ,cylindrical-sdeiwalliof-the-casingiA.

The spring C, which isiin .the -iorm-Qf a .helical y,coilmade from :a bar `4of ucircular .cross section, Aisarrangtnzl @vertically `mithin the telescoped cas- ,ings 1,A and .B `and :bears iat its top and v,bottoni ends 4respeotivel,y=on vtheiend walls` of the topand bottom casings. As shown in Figure l, the bosses Il and I1 extend into opposite ends oitliespring, .and `theqsiziring .is `of such an outside .diameter tas .todt loosely .within `the 4casing B, thatfis, so ,as .to .leave restrctedpassages between `the `cylinfdricalside wall of fthecasingand the outer sides .of .the coils of .the springias indicated. at `22--22- The plunger .or plugD is in the formy of asolid icylinderr andnormally rests. on 4the. support vformed by ,the cross-shaped lribs `of ythe 4boss ,Il `of ythe .casing ZB. rIlfle plungerD is of a diameter to loosely fit .within the=coi1s ofthe spring C, that :15,So vas. to u.leave lrestricted -passages .21S-23 Abe- ;-tween the innersides Lof the coils of the spring and the `cylindrical outersurf-ace of `the -:plunger AS .shown in :Figure f2, the ,plunger :D vis of such ta :height that ,in :its rnormal position, :resting i. on

3 the support formed by the ribs |9--l9 of the boss l1, the upper end thereof is spaced from the abutment formed by the ribs l3-I3 of the boss of the upper casing A, thus providing for limited upward displacement of the plunger.

The fluid element E employed in my improved shock absorber is preferably oil, but any other suitable liquid may be used. The fluid E is contained within the casing B and surrounds the spring C and the plunger or plug D, the casing being filled to a level somewhat below the top of the plunger D, as shown in Figure 2.

The operation of my improved shock absorber is as follows: Upon compression of the same between two relatively movable members, such as the spring follower plates of a truck spring cluster of a railway car, the casing A is moved downwardly toward the casing B, compressing the spring C. As the spring C is compressed, the coils thereof are closed up, displacing a portion of the iluid E, the displaced fluid being forced through the restricted passages 22 and 23 between the spring C, the wall of the casing B, and the spring C' and the plunger D, retarding the action of the spring C and snubbing the truck springs. This retarding fluid action is controlled by the plunger D, which is displaceable upwardly within the spring C in the manner of a piston, when relatively heavy shocks are encountered which effect more rapid compression of the spring C. Under such conditions, the plunger is forced upwardly by the pressure of the uid E exerted on the bottom end of the plunger, which bottom end is exposed to the action of the fluid through the openings provided between the ribs lll- 9 of the boss Il, thus easing the resistance olfered to the flow of the fluid by the restricting passages 22 and 23.

The recoil action of the spring C restores all of the parts to the normal full release position shown in Figure 2 and, as will be evident, this recoil action is also retarded by the flow of the uid through the restricted passages 22 and 23. The suction created by the fluid being drawn through the passages 22 and 23 and the weight of the plunger D effect return of the plunger to its normal seated position, engagement of the plunger with the stop formed by the boss l l of the upper casing A in no way interfering with its return, as the upper end of the plunger is held free of direct contact with the boss by the spacing ribs |3-l3.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the construction and design is in all respects similar to that illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, with the exception that the coil spring, which is indicated by F in Figure 4, is coiled from a bar of square cross section.

I claim:

l. In a shock absorber, the combination with a tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end; of a second tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end, said ,secon-d named casing being telescoped within the open end of the first named casing, said casings being relatively movable lengthwise toward and away from each other; a fluid within said second named casing; a coil spring within said casings yieldingly opposing relative approach thereof, said spring loosely fitting said second named casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid between the outer side of the spring and the side wall of said second named casing; and a plug loosely fitting the interior of the coil spring, said 4 plug being movable lengthwise with respect to both casings.

2. In a shock absorbed, the combination with a tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end; of a second tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end and having its open end slidingly telescoped within the open end of the rst named casing; a fluid within said second named casing; a central plug within said second named casing, said plug being movable lengthwise with respect to both casings; and a helical coil spring within said casings opposing relative movement thereof toward each other, said spring surrounding said plug and loosely fitting between said plug and the tubular side wall of said second named casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid.

3. In a shock absorber, the combination with a tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end; of a second tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end, said second named casing being telescoped within the open end of the rst named casing, said casings being relatively movable lengthwise toward and away from each other; a luid within said second named casing; a coil spring within said casings yieldingly opposing relative approach thereof, said spring loosely iitting said second named casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid between the outer side of the spring and the side wall of said second named casing; and a plunger movable lengthwise with respect to both casings and loosely fitting the interior of the Coil spring, said plunger having one end thereof exposed to the pressure of the uid.

4. In a shock absorber, the combination with a tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end; of a second tubular casing open at one end and closed at the other end and having its open end slidingly telescoped within the open end of the first named casing; a central plunger within said second named casing, said plunger being movable lengthwise with respect to both casings and having one end exposed to the pressure of said uid; and a helical coil spring within said casings opposing relative movement thereof toward each other, said spring surrounding said plunger and loosely tting between said plunger and the tubular side wall of said second named casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid.

5. In a shock absorber, the combination with an upper tubular casing open at its lower end and closed at its upper end; of a lower tubular casing slidingly telescoped within said upper casing, said lower casing being open at its upper end and closed at its lower end; a fluid within said lower casing; a coil spring within said casings yieldingly opposing relative approach thereof, said spring loosely tting said lower casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid between the outer side of the spring and the side wall of the casing; and a plunger movable lengthwise with respect to said lower casing, said plunger being normally supported at its lower end by said lower casing, loosely litting the in terior of the coil spring.

6. In a shock absorber, the combination with an upper tubular casing open at its lower end and closed at its upper end; of a lower tubular casing slidingly telescoped within said upper casing, said lower casing being open at its upper end and closed at its lower end; a fluid within said lower casing; a central plunger supported at its lower end within said lower casing said plunger being movable lengthwise of said lower casing; and a helical coil spring within said casings opposing relative movement thereof toward each other, said spring surrounding said plunger and loosely fitting between said plunger and the tubular side wall of said lower casing to provide restricting passages for said uid.

7. In a shock absorber, the combination with an upper tubular casing open at its lower end and closed at its upper end; of a lower tubular casing slidingly telescoped within said upper casing, said lower casing being open at its upper end and closed at its lower end; a fluid within said lower casing; a coil spring within said casings yieldingly opposing relative approach thereof, said spring loosely fitting said lower casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid between the outer side of the spring and the side wall of the casing; and a plunger movable lengthwise with respect to both casings, said plunger being normally supported at its lower end by said lower casing and loosely fitting the interior of the coil spring, the lower end of said plunger being exposed to the pressure of said fluid.

8. In a shock absorber, the combination with an upper tubular casing open at its lower end and closed at its upper end; of a lower tubular casing slidingly telescoped within said upper casing, said lower casing being open at its upper end and closed at its lower end; a fluid within said lower casing; a central plunger movable vertically with respect to both casings, said plunger being normally supported at its lower end within said lower casing, said plunger having its lower end exposed to the pressure of the fluid; and a helical coil spring within said casngs opposing relative movement thereof toward each other, said spring surrounding said plunger and loosely fitting between said plunger and the tubular side wall of said lower casing to provide restricting passages for said fluid.

JOHN H. LINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,876,145 McGrew Sept. 6, 1932 2,099,240 Sproul Nov. 1.6, 1937 2,171,185 Maier Aug. 29, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 392,514 Germany Mar. 24, 1924 

